Ombuds checks relocation site

CEBU, Philippines - Assistant Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Virginia Palanca-Santiago made an ocular inspection at the 6.5-hectare relocation site for Mahiga creek settlers to check the veracity of the reports from those who oppose their transfer to the area.

 Earlier, some members of an urban poor organization, particularly the Philcadan, who live along the Mahiga creek at the back portion of San Miguel Corporation, claimed that the relocation site was a swamp and a timberland.

 Roberto Lipaba, one of the 19 complainants who also went to the area yesterday, alleged that they were forced to transfer to the relocation site when in fact the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has classified it as a timberland.

 They also said the financial assistance that they were supposed to receive was instead given as a downpayment to lot owner Dennis Lua. According to them, the P2 million which was supposed to be their financial aid from San Miguel Corporation was being kept by Mayor Jonas Cortes.

 Palanca-Santiago, in an interview with reporters yesterday, said the Paknaan lot has a title so anyone could settle and live in the area. Those who oppose and complain that the area is classified as a timberland can contest it before the DENR, she added.

 City Administrator James Abadia, who was also at the site yesterday, said they are not forcing those who oppose to be relocated at the Paknaan lot. Contrary to the group’s allegation that they won’t be given financial assistance once their dwellings at the danger zones are being demolished, Abadia stressed that they will be given monetary aid. 

 Abadia said some of these who refuse to join the project were misinformed.

“Di man ni pinugsa-nay ato if they refuse to join the project then we will give them their financial assistance,”Abadia said.

 He also said that Philcadan members who are opposed to the project cannot question the title of the lot because only the court could rule on its validity.

 He also said that the city has yet to receive in full the P2 million which was stipulated in the deed of donation signed by the San Miguel Corporation and the City Government.

 What the City received, Abadia said, was P1 million from San Miguel and the money is still intact in a trust fund. These could be given to the beneficiaries any time they comply with all the conditions stipulated in the deed of donation.

 One of the conditions was for them to vacate the place as San Miguel was able to acquire the lot that Philcadan members have encroached on.

 It was also known from Cynthia Suico, the Community  Affairs Officer of the Housing and Urban Development Office, that the Philcadan has two factions but of the 75 members, most are willing to transfer to the Paknaan lot and only a few are opposed to it saying the City won’t accommodate them.

 However, Suico said that some of them cannot really avail of the relocation site because they are not residents of Mandaue City but of Cebu City and some of them are already beneficiaries of a relocation site in Sitio Pine tree in barangay Banilad. (FREEMAN)